Machine for making weldless chains.



No. 805,592. PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

A. G. STRATHERN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WELDLESS CHAINS.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR.28, I905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

\Na'rruassss lnvzunp ALEXANDER GEORGE STRATHERN PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

A. G. STRATHBRN. MACHINE FOR MAKING WELDLESS CHAINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.28, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

)NvEN'rsL ALEXRNDER GE RGE STRATHERN,

Has ATT2RNE WrrmzssEs PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

A. G. STRATHERN. MACHINE FOR MAKING WELDLESS CHAINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.28, 1905.

4 sums-sum a.

NV E N T99 ALEXANDEKGEQRGE STRRTHERN, 7 'BwWSM MLLQ His ATTE NEX.

Ld/ j W\TNE SSES- N0. 805,592. PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905. A. G. STRATHERN.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WELDLESS CHAINS.

APPLIGATION FILED mamas, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SEEM. 4.

WVT'NESSE'S; )NVENTQRI W m ALEXANDER GEQRGE STRATHERN, BY

H15 PQFTsgNET.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WELDLESS CHAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed March 28, 1905. Serial No. 252,443.

To ail whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER GEORGE STRATHERN, a subject of the King'of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Glasgow, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Producing Weldless Chains from Steel and other Metal Bars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for the manufacture of weldless chains from metal bars of the kind described in the specifications of Letters Patent Nos. 647,004, 647,167, and 650,101; and it has for its primary object to provide an improved construction permitting convenient adjustment and regulation of the stroke or travel imparted to the dies which impress the steel bar and of the position of the dies at the moment when they are brought into action to adapt the machine for pressing chains havinglinks of any desired pitch, meaning thereby distance between centers of successive links, (within limits,) without the necessity for altering the cam or cams controlling the dies, and also by so forming and arranging the dies that as they are brought into action to operate on successive portions of the bar they are first caused to engage with part of the previously-formed chain link or links and insure that fiow or extension of the metal under the die-pressure shall be only in the line of the unstamped length of the bar and that elongation of the previously-pressed link or links shall notoccur,which would cause variation in the pitch of the links of the chain. Under the invention also means are provided for cooling or brushing the dies during the intervals between the die-stamping operation.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is an end elevation of the improved chain-making machine, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 isa sectional elevation to a larger scale, showing one of the dies with brushing devices. Fig. 4 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively side elevation and plan, showing water-pipes which may be used in lieu of the brushes for cooling the dies.

' As shown, the machine comprises a rectangular frame A, having guides B extending radially toward a common center, sliding blocks B being fitted within these guides and actuated simultaneously by cranks or eccentrics C on the ends of shafts D, carried in bearings in the framing and driven by gear-wheels E to actuate the blocks B, to which are attached eccentrically-pivoted dies F, acting to press or squeeze the steel bar passed through between their acting faces.

The general arrangement of the machine and the method of operating the dies are in the main the same as in the machine described in said specifications; but the sliding sleeve G, mounted on the hollow shaft, through which the pressed bar passes and to which sleeve are attached the connecting-arms H, jointed to the die-carriers F is operated by means of side-beam levers I, centered on the machineframe at B and having their lower ends jointed to slides J, which carry cam-rollers and are reciprocated within slide-guides J by a rotating cam K on a cross-shaft K, driven by bevel-gear K from one of the shafts D. The upper ends of the levers I are slotted or forked and carry adjustable slide-blocks L, which are pin-jointed to the sleeve G, so that the relative lengths of the arms of the levers I may be varied. The adjustment of these slide-blocks L may be conveniently effected by raising or lowering a cross-head G, which is mounted on the sleeve G, the cross-head also being adjustable longitudinally, the latter adjustment being provided for by forming a gap into which plates or wedge-pieces g may be inserted to separate more or less the portion of the sleeve G, to which the die-opcrating arms H are connected, and the adjustable portion G, to which the cam-actuated levers I are jointed, locking-nuts M on a screw-threaded end portion G of the sleeve being employed to bring the adjustable part G hard up against the wedge-plates g. This latter adjustment permits of the dies F being suitably positioned at the commencement of their movement for stamping consecutively a plurality of links of any desired pitch, meaning thereby distance between the centers of successive links, from the steel bar passing between their acting faces, while the adjustmentprovided for varying the relative lengths of the lever-arms I dispenses with the necessity for varying the form of the actuating-cam which traverses the sleeve G when a chain having links of greater or less pitch, meaning thereby distance between the centers of successive links, is to be pressed.

The dies F are, as in the said specifications, centered each at a point f forward of the vertical line f or plane of closing pressure, but- 1 are preferably made continuous, as shown, instead of being in two portions, and the protuberances and recesses on their surfaces corresponding to the chain-links to be formed are extended at F forward of the circular arc struck from each center on a short portion of each die, which is straight or tangential to said are, as shown particularly at Fig. 3. The said tangential portion F of each die at each successive movement is adapted to engage with a portion of the chain already stamped and prevent its elongation or distortion at the moment when the closing pressure of the dies on the chain-bar tends to press out the metal of the bar in each direction, and by retaining a hold of the already-stamped link or links insures that elongation or flow of the metal shall be backward in the line of the unstamped bar, so that variation of pitch is prevented. The back end of the dies may also be made with a straight portion F similar to the entering or forward end F, and by this means the last links stamped will be properly formed instead of being only partially formed, as in the case when the dies F are curved to the arc of a circle throughout their entire length.

For the cooling of the dies swabbing or brushing apparatus is provided, as indicated at Figs. 3 and 4, consisting of a disk N, fixed to the end of each of the driving-shafts D, the disk N having a cam-groove n arranged to actuate a sliding bar 0, which moves in bearings I secured to the main framing A of the machine. Thelower end of the sliding bar 0 is attached, by means of links Q, to a lever B, the inner end of which is pivoted at It on the main framing, while the outer end carries a curved arm R to which the brushes S are attached. The brushes S are fixed at right angles to each other on a plate S, pivoted to the end of the curved arm R The curved arm R is held in position by a spiral spring T, attached to it and to the lever R, while the amount of movement due to the spring is limited by a slotted link U, attached to the same parts.

Vhile the dies F are at work on the chainbar, the swabbing-gear remains stationary, the cam-rollern during this period engaging with a concentric portion of the cam-groove n in the disk N; but as soon as the dies are withdrawn from the chain-bar the cam-roller n engages with an angular portion of the groove 92', which causes the brushes to sweep across the dies F and immediately return to the position of rest before the dies again return to press the chain-bar. tion may be used on the brushes for the purpose of cooling the dies. For this purpose water is sprayed onto the brushes or the brushes otherwise wetted in any of the wellknown ways, or instead of brushes pipes V, as shown at Figs. 5 and 6, having numerous perforations, maybe substituted and connected by flexible tubes IV to a source of Any suitable composiwater-Suppl y to admitof the diesbeing sprayed with water, the pipes being held by curved arms R Having now particularly described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a machine for producing weldless chains from metal bars, the combination with a set of dies having curved acting faces, of means for moving said dies to press the bar, a hollow shaft through which the pressed bar passes, a hollow sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft, means connecting said sleeve and said dies, a slide, means for actuating said slide, and means adjustably connecting said slide and said sleeve, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a machine for producing weldless chains from metal bars, the combination with a set of radial dies having curved acting faces, of means for moving said dies radially, a hollow sleeve and links connecting said sleeve to said dies for controlling the turning movement of said dies, a slide, means for reciprocating said slide, side levers pivoted to the machine-frame, and adjustable connections between said side levers and said slide and sleeve.

3. In a machine for the production of weld less chains from metal bars, the combination with a set of dies having curved acting faces of means for moving said dies radially, a sleeve, means connecting said sleeve and said dies to control the turning movement of said dies, a slide, a cam for actuating said slide, side levers pivoted to the machine-frame and adjustable connections between said side levers, and said slide and sleeve.

4. In a machine for the production of weldless chains from metal bars, the combination with a set of dies having curved acting faces, of means for moving said dies radially, a hollow shaft through which the pressed bar passes, a hollow sleeve slidable on said shaft, links connecting said dies and said sleeve, a cross-head adjustably mounted on said sleeve to provide for longitudinal adjustment of said sleeve, and means for sliding said sleeve on said shaft.

5. In a machine for making weldless chains from metal bars, the combination with a framing, of radial guides, blocks sliding in said guides, dies pivoted to said blocks, a hollow shaft, a sleeve slidable on said shaft, links connecting said sleeve and said dies, a crosshead mounted on said sleeve, lock-nuts and wedge-pieces adjustably securing said crosshead, a slide, means for reciprocating said slide and adjustable connections between said slide and said cross-head.

6. In a machine for making weldless chains, the combination with a framing having radial guides, of slide-blocks fitted in said guides, means for moving said slide-blocks simultaneously, dies pivoted to said slide-blocks, said dies having curved acting faces eccentric to their pivots and a straight or tangential portion at one end, and means for controlling the turning movement of said dies around their pivots.

7. In a machine for making Weldless chains the combination With a framing having radial guides, of slide-blocks fitted in said guides, means for movirfg said slide-blocks, dies pivoted to said slide-blocks, said dies having each a curved acting face eccentric to its pivot, and a straight or tangential portion at each end, a sliding sleeve, links connecting said sleeve and said dies and means for sliding said sleeve.

8. In amachine for making Weldless chains, the combination with a frame having radial guides, of slide-blocks fitted in such guides, means for moving said slide-blocks, dies pivoted to said slide-blocks said dies having curved faces, means for controlling the turning movement of said dies, die-cooling devices, and connections, driven by the means for moving the slide-blocks, for controlling the die-cooling devices, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

ALEXANDER GEORGE STRATHERN. Witnesses:

WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, JNo. ARMSTRONG, J unr. 

